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Deadly Decadence
"Deadly Decadence" is the third level in the game, ''Dark Deception''. It is playable in Chapter 2. This level has two separate sections, the outdoor hedge maze and the manor, and features the Gold Watchers, who can be combated with the teleportation power. Introduction The player begins in an outdoor area serving as the entrance to the map. Past the fountain ahead of them is a mounted statue, with a sign below it warning the player of what awaits them beyond the gates. Past the gate, they will observe writing on the walls, warning them about what they have yet to see. The player then enters a large courtyard, where Bierce remarks on its impressive landscaping, and discovers a statue saluting in the middle of it. As they pass it, the statue faces them and chuckles after turning away. The player then examines more writing on the walls, as well as two more signs stating they must tread no further, as "they are watching". The player, of course, has no choice but to proceed, and opening the gate to the maze will cause the statue from earlier to disappear. Upon entering the maze, the gate will close behind the player, and the Gold Watchers will begin their chase with a maniacal cackle. Act I Within the maze the player must collect 50 soul shards while avoiding the Gold Watchers and numerous spike traps throughout the area. As they only chase the player when they look away from them, the player can always face their direction through the bushes, but this limits their awareness and could expose them to the traps throughout the area. Like other areas, the maze contains one stun shard and one red shard, with the soul shards being mostly spread apart throughout the maze. The teleportation ability is very handy for escaping the Watchers if they end up cornering the player, and they are also useful for getting past the traps. After clearing the maze, the Gold Watchers disappear, and the player must then exit through the backside of the maze. Once they exit the maze, the player will approach the entrance to the manor, whose doors open for them as they go near it. Entering through the doorway will load a new area, showcasing the Gold Watchers' portal icon as it loads. Act II Upon entering the manor, the player will end up in the foyer, where the ring altar is located. Malak also appears on the upper balcony, cackling before disappearing. When climbing the stairs straight ahead, a portrait of a Gold Watcher can be seen with a different appearance, and the player can either proceed left or right up the stairs. Two levers are found at the top, which activates the entryways to the rest of the manor, which can prove useful when trying to halt the Gold Watchers' movements. Upon heading far enough inside, the chase begins, and four Gold Watchers pursue the player. In this section, there are both spike traps and pendulum traps, which can instantly kill the player if they aren't paying attention. This area is relatively bigger compared to the previous locations, and contains a relatively large amount of shards at 304, as well as one red and one stun shard. This area is much more dangerous than the maze, due to there being 4 Watchers now, the new pendulum trap, the spread of spike traps throughout the area, the layout and shape of most of the rooms, the size and amount of soul shards, and the overwhelming dread that will likely consume the player. Due to their numbers, the Gold Watchers can even corner the player similarly to how the Murder Monkey's did, and should the player have any chance of escaping, using the teleportation power is mandatory to surviving. Final Act After all the shards are collected, the watchers go into a frenzy like the other previous monsters, causing their pupils to become red and giving them a darker shade, which can make them look black and turquoise in color. When the player returns to the foyer, multiple Gold Watchers can be seen guarding the altar. (Malak has a small chance of spawning there as well) The player must evade the enemies and obtain the now-unguarded ring piece. When the ring piece is collected, the enemies disappear, and Bierce informs the player that the nightmare is collapsing, and they must escape back through the portal. The player must then evacuate the manor and head back outside back to the portal entrance. When the player exits the manor, fog is now present, which will heavily obscure the player's vision. To escape, the player must head right and run through the west outskirts of the maze. The player cannot re-enter the maze from the manor side. Upon returning to the main courtyard, the player will hear Malak taunting the player as countless Gold Watchers appear in the player's sight. They must dodge each of these Watchers, as well as Malak, to reach the next gate. The player must also be careful when exiting through the red gate, as they could run straight into a Gold Watcher on the other side. When the player is near the portal, several Gold Watchers will form a wall in front of the portal, and Malak will spawn in the same area to pursue them again. To reach the end, they can either go around the Gold Watchers or teleport past them. Once the player reaches the portal, the level ends, and they will return to Bierce's Ballroom. Secrets * There is a secret room in the Manor that reveals the ring's power has been used to create the Gold Watchers. In order to access this room, the player must activate a lever within one of the hallways and head northwest to a section that sticks out from the other rooms. This confirms that each nightmare was created from their respective ring piece. * The corridor past the room containing the unfinished Gold Watchers contains a secret. * In another secret room, there are drawings on the walls that is telling that the protagonist does not need to help Bierce and leave the ring alone. * There is another secret hidden behind 2 separate walls in one of the corner of the map which the player must click on to open. * After finishing the maze, instead of heading inside the manor, the player can head right to the eastern outskirts of the maze find a secret. S-rank To obtain an S-rank, the player must achieve all of the criteria listed below. Keep in mind, Deadly Decadence has two stages which are independent scoring systems. The first stage is the maze, and does not affect your performance. However, if you can attain the following criteria in the manor, an S-rank will be awarded. * Time: Less than 30 minutes (+70) * Soul Shards: 354 * Bonus Shards: 2 (+25) * Secrets: 4 (+35) * Lives Lost: 1 or less (+40) * Shard Streak: 250 (+30) * Total Shards obtainable: 504 An S-rank must be achieved to obtain an excerpt of Bierce's Diary. Achievements * The Golden One - Earned an S Rank in Deadly Decadence. * Fools Rush In - Killed by every trap type in Deadly Decadence. * Bushmaster - Completed the hedge maze in under 6 minutes. * Observant - Didn't get killed by any traps. * Watching the Watchers - Watched a Gold Watcher for 10 seconds. 'Soundtrack' Dark Deception - The Golden Rule Dark Deception - Mind Your Manors Dark Deception - Don't Look Back 'Trivia' * This is the first level to introduce traps. * Due to the behavior of the Gold Watchers and the traps, this has been considered as the hardest level in the game so far. * In the room where the Gold Watchers are being made there is a wall containing their masks which is a possible reference to Game of Thrones' "Hall of Faces". * While escaping, the Giant Gold Watcher from the spawning point can be seen above the portal, suggesting that it is indeed alive. * The word Decadence refers to being lazy or indulging in laziness or pleasantries, so much so that morals or culture decline. ** The "luxury" aspect much reflects the manor and the expensive dress of the Watchers. ** The declining part may refer to the fact that the nightmare collapses at the end of the level. Category:Chapter 2 Category:Levels